Rand Boats is billing its latest model, the Rand Solara 33, as a lounge-terrace on the water. We take a closer look...
Looking a bit like a modern Scandinavian take on a US-style pontoon boat, the Rand Solara 33 offers a huge amount of usable deck space in relation to its length with multiple entry points to the water and a shallow draft for sneaking into shallow bays.
But unlike most pontoon boats, this one is powered by electric motors and sits on slender GRP hulls for more sea-kindly, fuel efficient running. It’s RCD rated category C for up to 14 people.
Save for the odd hidden surprise, what you see is what you get on the Rand Solara 33. There’s a bathing platform with a small hi-lo platform and aft facing bench at the stern and a generous two-sofa dinette and wet bar amidships.
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The helm itself is well protected by a tall windscreen that links up with the hard top to provide shelter from the wind and sun as well as an upward facing surface for multiple built-in solar cells.
There’s also a heads compartment to port with full standing headroom. Up front the two corner dinettes can be linked with a fill-in section to make one big dining area plus a walk-through bow with drop-down steps into the water.
With twin Torqeedo Cruise 12.0 electric outboards and 40-80kWh lithium-ion battery banks, the top speed should be around 12 knots, but with twin Deep Blue 50s and 80kWh battery capacity expect that to be more like 20 knots.
The Rand Solara 33’s base price of €245,900 looks unusually keen for such a sizeable electric boat.
